Bracelet chain



I bet. 1, 1929. c. A. WHITING BRACELET CHAIN- INVEN (DR Filed March 30, 1928 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 1, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT C2 CHARLES A, WRITING, OF FRANKLIN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 "WHITING .60 DAVIS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF 'MAS'SACHU SETTS BRACELET {GI-IAIN Application filed March 30, 1928. Serial No, 265,832.

This invention relates to bracelet chains and has particular reference to the laterally rigid band type of bracelet chain used for holding a wrist-watch or as 'a bracelet, and the method of making such a chain. As such chains are now made, elaborate stamping and forming processes are necessary in order to make the several links interlock without showingthe interlocking means, or the looking means where visible mustbe made of the same or similar metal of which the links are made in order to present a sightly appearance. These requirements make a comparatively simple chain expensive andits vmanufacture more complicated'than the nature of the device warrants.

It is the object of-this invention to provide a bracelet chain which is simple instructure, strong and of pleasing appearance, and which may be cheaply and easily produced by a method o-f'manufacture which [does not require elaborate machines or especially skilled artisans.

The bracelet chain ofthis invention comprises a plurality :offiexi'bly joinedtubul-ar links 'of circular, oval, polygonal or other cross-section, which may be made by severin equal lengths from tubular metal stock. The joining means for the several links consist of suitable staples of wire, the several prongs of which are introduced into the open ends of adj acent links, the ends'of these links having been. previously slotted by saw-cutting or the like, so that thebase of each staple lies in these slots below 'the end surfaces of the links, while the prongs of the stapleare long enough to overlie aportion of'the inside surface of the links in order -tolbrace the chain laterally whereby'the desired lateral rigidity I is obtained. The prongs o'f the staplesware spaced apart suflicientlyto allowa 1relative movement between the adjacent links which each sta'ple joins, so that the chain becomes extensible and contractable. After the staples have been positioned in the manner described, thetwo projections' formed at the end of each'link 'by the slot containing the staple, are bent toward each other-bya-swa'g- 'ng operation "or the like -so that the "open ends-of the'links are-olosed-and the staples Fig. 2 is an edge View thereof; 7 p

3 .is an .enlanged,par tial longitudinal seotionof one of the Links before the-swag-ing ioperation;

a is an enlarged, partial. longitudinal section of one of thellin ks after the swaging operation; and

Figs. 5 and :6 are nenlaiggedllfragmentary views :ofthe chain inezctended and contracted positions respectively. I

In these drawings, numeral 10 designates re "of the links before being formed with other links into thechain. These links may be conveniently madeby severing from tubular stock equal pieces of .a length slightly g greater than the intended vwidth of the vfinished chain. The tubular stock used is of any suitable malleable metal, either solid or gold, silver .or otherwise plated, lor-it may beof base metal to be plated 0r .enameledin the finished state. These tubular linksmay .be of any cross-sectionalshape suchas round,

oval, polygonal or .the like, .a link of oval cross-section "being illustrated inythe drawrings. 7 I

The ends wof'thelinks 10 are slotted as shown at ll'bylsaw-cutting or the like to a depth determined by the'diameter ofthe wire staples 12to "be inserted in these slots plus a sufficient length of the remaining projections 13 to 'closethezend of the link when swaged over. Thewidt-h of the slot is slightly greater than the-diameter of the staple wire in order m 'toa llow a certain amount of play .of the staple in the slot. As shown inthe drawings, the slot 11 extends :across the long diameter :of the :oval:cross-sectiom-so :that the projecitions l3imustbe equal to at least half of the CPI , amount of play between links is allowed. The

staples are also formed so as to have relatively long prongs. The prongs of the staple 12 are inserted into eachend of the adjacent links 10 so that the base of the staple falls into slots 11 of the adjacent links in the manner illustrated particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. This is donefor as many links as are necessary to produce a chain of the required length, and this length remains the same when the chain is completed. hen the staples are thus placed in'the slot 11 their prongs extend into the interior of the tubular links so as to overlie a substantial length of the interior surface as shown in Figs 1, 3 and 4-.

The final operation is a swaging operation in; which the two opposite projections formed on the ends of each link by the slot 11 are bent over or swaged toward each other so that they come together to close the end of the link and at the same time to enclose and non-rigidly secure the staple 12 in position. This swaging "operation flattens the two curved projections 13, so that when the straight ends of these projections are brought together they coincide to make a tight "and even joint so that the junction of these proj ections is scarcely visible. The flattening of the curved projections 13 results in widening them so that when they are brought together, a slight flare appears at the ends of each link,

as is illustrated in Figs. 1, 5 and 6.

The spacing between the flaring portions of adjacent links determines the amount of relative movement between adjacent links, and the extensibility and contract-ability of the completed chain'is determined bythe total width of all the spaces between the links. The staples 12 are slidable in the side slots of the adjacent links, and when the chain is extended it appears as illustrated in Fig. 5,

While Fig. 6 illustrates the cha n in contracted position. \Vhile it is preferable that only a short length of the staples 12 is visible between the links, the extensibility of the chain may be increased by widening the spacing between the prongs of the staples 12 up to the point where the prongs of the staples in adjacent links engage each other when the adjacent links engage each other in themanner illustrated by Fig. 6. The long prongs of the the interior surfaces of the links, brace the links against relatively longitudinal moveadj acentlinks the nearer its prongs are to the center of these links, because the link widens toward the center. 1 In other words, the chain will bend to a greater extent when it is contracted than when it is extended.

ltwill be seen that the new bracelet chain and the method of making the same provide an extremely simple and inexpensive article of jewelry which presents'an attractive appearance and is strong and durable. -While a particular form of the bracelet chain has been illustrated and'described, the method of making the chain may be as readily applied to materials of various shapes and kinds, and the finished product may be chased, embossed, enai'nelled or otherwise decorated to suit the requirements of use.

I claim w i 1. A chain comprisinga plurality of elongated links, each of said links having a centralopening in each end and a slot communicating therewith, connecting members lying in the slots ofadjacent links to join them in parallelrelationship, ends of the links defining the walls of the slots being bent over the connecting members to secure them in position, the connecting members and the slots being so arranged with respect to the links that the chain is flexible to move transversely in either direction but is substantially rigid in a direction longitudinal of the links.

2. A chain comprising a plurality of tubular links, each link having two pro ections of substantially equal length to one another on. each end, and a U-shaped connecting member lying between the projections on the corresponding openings of adjacent links to v oln them together in parallel relationship,

said links projecting outwardly adjacent the openings to a greater extent than the remainder of the ad acent walls of corresponding links, whereby thelinksare held out of con- .tact with one another except at the point of staples which overlie a substantial length of CHARLES A. WHITING. 

